Dream festival line up

I was asked to do this task for a university interview so here's what I put:

Arctic Monkeys- Possibly the biggest band in the world right now so they would make an ideal headliner. Their fifth and latest album (AM) has received rave reviews including a 10/10 from NME so therefore the critics definitely love them. Plus they’ve got five albums worth of hits that a lot of people would instantly recognise. All five of these albums reached number 1 in the UK and from these albums, 12 singles have reached the top 40 so there’s no denying that Arctic Monkeys aren’t popular.

Blur (cover stars)- Blur would be perfect because they would appeal to older audiences seeing as the band were huge back in the mid 90’s. Also the band don’t play many gigs these days so it would be a special occasion if they were on this dream line up. What on earth is going on with that new album as well? Will it be out soon? Or will we have to wait about 20 years just like Guns N Roses Chinese Democracy? Frontman Damon Albarn has been, and is a very busy man so it would interesting to ask him a few questions about his collaborations. For example will we ever get another Gorillaz album? It would be good to get a scoop on things such as this. Other questions that could be included are: what do you have in store for the setlist? Will there be any new songs? Why don’t you tour that much? Etc. There could also be questions about their Britpop rivalry with Oasis back in the day and how they felt about the whole situation. Overall, with so many topics to talk about, I think Blur would make ideal cover stars for a programme.

The Pixies- I have only just recently got into The Pixies but I am well aware that they keep changing their bassist. This could make for a fascinating article in the programme if we asked the band why they have changed their bassist twice? Also why does the bassist have to be female? Are you trying to get someone who is as close to original bassist Kim Deal as possible? Also The Pixies would certainly appeal to those who like their rock music a bit heavier so it would add a bit of variety to the line up. Plus the band are highly influential to many and Kurt Cobain famously said that he “ripped off The Pixies” whilst writing Smells like Teen Spirit. This booking for the dream festival would certainly be a special one given the fact that the band has done a lot for alterative rock.

Flight Of The Conchords- It might seem like a bit of an unusual decision putting Flight Of The Conchords on a dream festival line up but hear me out. The New Zealand comedy duo would surely belong on a comedy stage but I think that this act is big enough to fill up a main stage festival field. This is because the band have actually played at Wembley Stadium a couple of times and they have a large cult following too. A lot of people would probably find their quirky brand of folk/rap/pop/comedy quite entertaining too so this is why I think this would make a good booking. Also a humorous article could be written about how they feel about being the only comedy act on the bill.   

Vampire Weekend- The New York indie rockers have three albums worth of songs so they certainly have enough material to entertain a crowd. Also the band has a loveable twee like charm about them and they have played to a large Glastonbury crowd a few times. A nice booking if you ask me.

Florence and the Machine- This act would add more of a pop variety to the bill and plus she would be the only solo act so again, this fact adds more variety. Plus she has a few recognisable hits so this will please the audience.

Crystal Castles- This band would please the festival goer that’s looking for the more obscure. The duo are usually described as being noisy, electronic and gothic so this would add a bit more of an ambiguity feel to the line up. Plus they could certainly get a mosh or two started.  

Los Campesinos- Only really on here because of personal preference. I think this artist is criminally underrated so it would be good for them to get some decent exposure at this festival. They have opened the main stage at Reading and Leeds festivals before so it wouldn’t be a risky booking. They would pull in a decent sized crowd.    

Reactions to last weeks Reading and Leeds Festival 2014 announcement...

Reading Festival 2013 didn't seem to be very well received. Many people thought that the festival had become too safe and commercial because of Eminem headlining and the fact that they included a lot more artists on the dance stage. However, the announcements so far this year look promising and here's why...

Blink 182 were announced as a headline act firstly. The band have played the festivals twice before: once playing before Linkin Park back in 2003 and again as headliners back in 2010. A lot of people criticized their headline set in 2010 as being a bit sloppy and this is totally fair to be honest. Lead singer and guitarist Tom DeLonge looked quite drunk and you could tell that bassist Mark Hoppus was nervous in case Tom messed up and did God knows what. However there were a lot of funny moments from this set including Tom Delonge trying to playing "Sweet Child O' Mine" on guitar and failing miserably. A decent set overall but it could've been so much better as a lot was missing from it. For example, the band had only recently got back together in 2009 so therefore there was no new material at this point, just a greatest hits set and that's it. This headline slot coming up in 2014 will include two albums worth of new material: 2011's Neighbourhoods and an untitled album that has only recently been confirmed by Mark Hoppus. Here's to hoping that next years headline slot will be a lot tighter and exciting thanks to brand spanking new material.

Pop punk fans the world over rejoiced when Blink 182 got back together in 2009

Jake Bugg will surely go down a treat as he steps up to the main stage next year. The young man has risen through the ranks at ecstatic place and this gig at Reading and Leeds could well be his defining moment. Hits such as "Lighting Bolt" and "Two Fingers" will rope in the masses and get people singing along. Futhermore, the fact that his latest album "Shangri La" reached number 3 in the charts this year will further get more people listening to him.

Disclosure pulled in a huge crowd last year so this year should be no different. Monster hit "White Noise" will get everyone dancing, you can guarantee it. Critically acclaimed indie four piece Metronomy are loved by many and their 2011 album "English Riviera" was adored by critics. Hopefully their yet to be released album will enjoy the same success in 2014 and they'll win over the festival crowds. Of Mice and Men's metalcore sound should be enjoyable enough and I am Legion should also get crowds raving along.

    

Arcade Fire getting people to dress up at gigs: a bad idea or not?

Sounds absurd doesn't it? You can kind of see that its a good idea though. A lot of people would argue that it would give the gig more of an atmosphere. That's totally true, imagine a load of fans in masks and costumes all having an awesome time to some loud music. Sounds like that bit out of Laz Buhrmann's Romeo and Juliet (1996) where there having that huge party, but without transvestites though possibly? I don't know if transvestites go to Arcade Fire gigs because I've never been to one.

"Oh hey it's cool if you don't wanna wear a costume to our shows" is what they would be saying if they weren't a picture.

You could argue that it is a bit pretentious of the band to ask people to do this. I mean the fans are already forking out money for the gig tickets so its not great that the band are asking them to shovel out even more money for a costume there probably only going to wear once. However, the band have said that's "its not mandatory" for fans to wear the costumes so it sounds like the band are actually quite laid back about the whole situation. If this is the case, it would be wrong to call the band pretentious.

Do whatever you like if you go to an Arcade Fire gig. Wear the costume or don't wear the costume. Personally, I wouldn't wear the costume because I'd look silly if I had to use public transport on the way to the gig but I can totally see why some people would want to wear the costumes and that's fair enough. I guess this is one of those situations that your either in favour of or your not.

Shangri La by Jake Bugg

Young troubadour Jake Bugg has risen through the ranks pretty quickly. His first album came out last year so to follow it up that quickly is quite unusual, especially in this day and age. The amount of hype that surrounded his first album was unbelievable seeing as "Lightning Bolt" was played on the BBC's London 2012 Olympic coverage right before Usain Bolt's legendary 100M win. This caught many people's attention and since then the 19 has enjoyed great success. 

Usually described as a mixture between Folk singer songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Britpop heroes such as Noel Gallagher, Jake Bugg's sound is one that reels you in and makes you attentive to it. Most of the time, the young singer does two kinds of songs: the fast country western type songs a la Johnny Cash and the tender quiet tunes that make you ponder about life. shangria La" has a real balance between the two, just like the first Jake Bugg album. Basically this is like the debut album but a 2.0 version. This could annoy some people seeing as they might not like the one trick pony act.

The first three songs are fast ones. “There’s a Beast and We All Feed It” has jangly acoustic guitars blended with twiddly electric guitars, it’s reminiscent of 50’s rock n roll. “Slumville Sunrise” revolves around a repetitive guitar riff that evolves into a sing along chorus. “What Doesn’t Kill You” sounds like something from Arctic Monkeys first album. Overall, a solid trio of opening songs.

“Me And You” and “Messed Up Kids” slow things down a bit. The first of the two being a “Blowing In the Wind” Bob Dylan-esque type tune and the second being an average song where Jake Bugg really has to strain his voice in the chorus. After that, the next two songs bring down the tempo even more. “A Song About Love” is a beautiful, impressive ballad and “All Your Reasons” sounds like a massive Britpop anthem.

“Kingpin” is straight up, kick ass rock n roll. “Kitchen Table” and “Pine Trees” are some extra acoustic tunes in the album’s roster that make you sit back and become observant. “Simple pleasures” is quite similar to “All Your Reasons” so if you like these kinds of songs then you’ll surely have a spring put in your step. “Storm Passes Away” is nice, charming closer to the album.

Essentially, “Shangri La” is an improved version of the first album. An impressive effort when you consider the fact that this album was made in less than a year. A solid second album.  

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

BEST SONGS: A SONG ABOUT LOVE, PINE TREES, ME AND YOU

WORST SONG: MESSED UP KIDS

Reading and Leeds festival 2014 headline predictions

So I was buying Christmas presents online the other day and I was thinking "better not splash too much cash cause I wanna save up a bit for Reading festival tickets in March". It might be ages away but weekend tickets cost almost £300 so I need to get saving! In the mean time here's some of my bets as to who might headline the iconic festivals...

The favourites to headline- Arctic Monkeys are pretty much guaranteed aren't they? Come on, the band have recently announced 2 massive Finsbury park shows in late May so they've gotta be on the summer festival circuit around Europe! Plus the band haven't played at the festivals since 2009 so therefore a 5 year wait means that they could be likely. Oh yeah and they're probably the biggest band on the planet right now following the success of "AM". The Killers also seem likely seeing as they've just released a greatest hits album. This would go hand in hand with an epic headline set and plus they've got the anthems to win over any crowd in the world.

The possible newcomers- Hot on the heels of their 4th album, Paramore seem likely to headline the festivals for the first time in 2014. It really is possible seeing as they've gone down incredibly well at the festivals in the past. A true fan favourite if there ever was one. Furthermore, they've sold out Wembley stadium a few times so they could definitely rake in a huge crowd. 30 Seconds to Mars have also sold out a stadium or 2 so they could easily pull in the masses as well. Again, they have also gone down really well at the festivals before so surely it would make sense for them to step up to the mark and take up the challenge of headlining.

Hayley Williams is one hell of a front women...

Possible veterans- The Stone Roses made their massive comeback announcement in late 2011 and headlined festivals such as Isle of Wight in 2013. A legendary act that would please the oldies as well as some younger people seeing as the band are highly influential. There are also rumours that the band are making a new album so this could be the perfect chance to show it off. Personally, I would love to see the legendary Manchester band there. However, their 1996 headline set was described as one of the worst ever so therefore they might be afraid to return. Blur are also another possibly but this is unlikely seeing as no one has any clue what they're up to. They could surprise us though. No one expected that Glastonbury set back in 2009 so who knows?

Manchester's finest thanking the crowd...

The unlikely headline act- Metallica could possibly headline the festivals seeing as they're the gods of metal. However, the band would suit Download or Sonisphere more than Reading and Leeds. The organisers might go for more of an edgy metal line up next year to shake things up but I wouldn't put my money on it personally. The dark horse out of all of the headline suggestions.

MY PERSONAL BET:

FRIDAY: PARAMORE
SATURDAY: ARCTIC MONKEYS
SUNDAY: THE STONE ROSES

Hard Out Here by Lily Allen track review

It's got everybody talking. Some people have called it a stroke of genius and some have called it moronic. Whatever your opinion is, you can't deny that Lily Allen has come back with a bang. This recent comeback single is a satirical song that basically pokes fun at recent pop artists who have released very sexualized  songs, for example: Robin Thicke, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus etc. In a way the song is sort of trying to say that you can't really be a female artist that sells lots of records unless you take your clothes off. Some people may say that this is a bit of an exaggeration, however, some people genuinely believe that this is what's going on in the music industry right now.

Lily Allen mocks Robin Thicke in this new comeback single

Lily Allen certainly is defiantly making an in your face statement on this track and this should be admired. All of the best artists have challenged society and people's opinions during their careers. Some of these artists include: John Lennon, Bob Marley and Rage Against the Machine.

Anyway now on to the track! The song starts out with some quirky off beat piano chords in the verse amongst other things such as a strong rhythm section and "Oooo ooo" backing vocals. Then suddenly, the piece goes all club dance during the pre chorus. There's a soft synth with rising electronic handclaps and then everything cuts out as Lily Allen declares "It's hard out here for a bitch". Auto tuned vocals are used to fantastic effect in the chorus, they seem to suggest that Lily Allen is further mocking recent pop artists seeing as a lot of them use enhanced vocals.

 Lyrically, the song is full of references to how women are perceived in this modern 21st century that is full of social media madness and size zero models. Examples include: "You should probably lose some weight cause we can't see your bones" and "If I told you about my sex life, you'd call me a slut". Some lines are also full of genuine hilarity (in a good way) such as "Have you thought about your butt? Who's gonna tear it in two?" and "Don't need to shake my ass for you cause I've got a brain". Satirical lyrics at there finest.

Overall this track is bold and not afraid. It's controversial, edgy and it has certainly got a lot of people debating. Satirical songs like this that cause a stir are very rare and you probably won't be able find many others. "Hard Out Here" truly is a diamond in the rough. The song being the diamond and the rough being sexualized pop stars. A very interesting track and what's even more interesting is to see where Lily Allen will go from here. Will she continue to start debates or will she take a seat at the back?

OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Why McBusted is a bad idea

No. Just no. What kind of inhumane monstrosity is this? Is this some kind of sick joke? How in the world are people jizzing their pants over a little bit of nostalgia? On Monday it was officially confirmed that McFly and Busted are teaming up to form the terribly named "McBusted". This so called "super group" is going to be touring the UK in April 2014.

There are so many things wrong with "McBusted" that I don't even know where to begin. Well firstly,
not all of the original Busted members are involved in this project. Charlie Simpson decided to save his soul by not getting involved in the band and you've gotta give him huge respect for this. Any musician that decides not to associate himself with what is clearly a money making scheme deserves a big pat on the back. May Charlie continue to do his thing for the love and not the money. Furthermore, why are people saying "OMGZ BUSTED ARE BACK TOGETHER!". Technically there not because not all 3 members are reunited (and plus McFly are involved). Busted are clearly the big appeal here seeing as they've been on hiatus for several years. Why do a tour when all 3 members aren't involved? People will be ripped off if they buy tickets to this travesty of an event.  

What on earth is up with that name as well? "McBusted" sounds like something that should be on a McDonald's food menu and not the name of a super group. The name pretty much sums up how little artistic thought has been put into this project. It's got money grabbing in big bold letters all over it. Music is all about bringing some kind of feeling out of a human: whether its a feeling of being entertained or a feeling of sadness. Sure McBusted may seem like an entertaining idea to a lot of people but haven't Busted and McFly seen better days?

This brings me nicely on to my next point: both bands enjoyed massive success during the 00's and a lot of people enjoyed their records. People who go to these gigs won't feel anywhere near as cheery compared to the first time they heard these songs. What happened in the past should be left in the past because usually, its nowhere near as enjoyable in the future. Some may argue "But it was my childhood!", don't let this deceive you. Have your child like self remain dead because their ghost won't like the fact that you've disturbed them with cheesy pop music.

Well.... this looks dumb.

So come on everyone, let's move on and look to the future. Let's discover some new artists and start a brand new musical revolution. Stop being selfish by living in the past and let new artists have a go in the spotlight. Busted and McFly had their turn several years ago so surely it's wrong for them to gain all of this mass attention. It's just greedy. New bands such as CHVRCHES and Haim have made fantastic records this year but they've gone completely under the radar thanks to bullshit such as this.

It's obvious what's going on here: Matt Willis got sick of eating kangaroo dick in the jungle, James Bourne stopped getting decent sums of royalty money from Busted and Son of Dork (one of the worst bands ever by the way) and McFly couldn't be arsed to nob about on reality TV anymore. So please people, don't give these media attention whores what they want by buying tickets to this tour. There desperation doesn't deserve your hard earned cash and the nostalgic feeling you'll be expecting won't be satisfactory. I guarantee you that anyone who goes to this tour will end up regretting it 5 years later. You have been warned.    

    

Arctic Monkeys live review

October 26th 2013 and its a Saturday night in London. Arctic Monkeys are playing to a nearly sold out crowd for their second night at Earls Court. The venue is huge and its almost as big as the 02 Arena (which is also in London). People are queuing up outside in their thousands and it isn't hard to see why given the massive success of Arctic Monkeys latest album "AM".

Support comes in the form of Irish Indie Blues band The Strypes. These four lads are very young and their ages range from 16-18 years old. Unfortunately, they fail to really get the crowd going. Interaction with the crowd is awkward as hand clapping and sing alongs are met with a half arsed reaction. Not only that but pretty much every song in their 45 minute set sounds the same. It feels like the band are just playing one long Progressive Blues Rock song with all their guitar and harmonica solos. However, this doesn't matter seeing as everyone is here to see the almighty Arctic Monkeys.

Alex Turner and co strut on confidently at half 9 and everyone is rocking to set opener "Do I Wanna Know". Everyone hums along to the bluesy guitar riff and the vibes inside the venue are electric. We are then treated to a mad flurry of "Brianstorm" which is excellently tight seeing as the song is very manic guitar and drums wise. The place is rocking so much that Alex Turner has to stop halfway through "Don't Sit Down Cause I Move Your Chair" so that he can tell the crowd to "move back" so that the people at the front don't get squished.

The setlist largely consists of the band's latest album "AM" and songs such as: "Snap Out Of It", "Number 1 Party Anthem", "Arabella" and "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" are met with a decent response. However its songs of the band's first two album that really get the crowd into a frenzy. "Fluorescent adolescence", "Dancing Shoes" and "Teddy Picker" all go down really well and everybody sings along in unison. But "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" goes down like the Titanic hitting an iceberg and this is the highlight of the evening.

Other highlights include: streams of confetti coming down from the ceiling during "I Wanna Be Yours", beautiful acoustic versions of "Cornerstone" and "Mardy Bum", Alex Turner's Elvis Presley voice when he spoke to the crowd and set closer "R U Mine?". Songs from albums "Suck It and See" and "Humbug" are hugely ignored through out the set which is disappointing. Another frustrating niggle is that the band don't even play their biggest sing along hit "When The Sun Goes Down".

Overall Arctic Monkeys put on a performance that was full of swagger and delight. Apart from a few annoyances here and there, the gig was pretty spectacular and anyone that's heard "AM" would've loved being there.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

 

   

Christmas songs: an annoyance or not?

November: it's a time when Christmas is slowly peeping over the shoulder. Decorations aren't in full swing but there are odd mentions of the festive holiday here and there. Once it's December though everyone goes apeshit and people start churning out Christmas oddity's as if there lives depended on it. Lights and ornaments are shot onto houses, people crowd to shops to buy presents and everybody talks about the legend of everyone's favourite fat man (Santa Claus!). There is one thing that the general public seem to either love or hate though: Christmas songs.

Go to any shop mid December and a million pounds says you won't hear Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody". You literally can't get away from this 70's glam rock hit. Live under a rock, you'll still hear it. Hide in a wardrobe, you'll still here it. Heck, go and live in an igloo in Greenland and you'll still hear it (probably). There's no escaping the mega monster behemoth that is "Merry Xmas Everybody". You would've thought that people would've gotten sick of a song that's been played countless times for forty years. Nope, DJ's still assault our precious ears with this tiresome song just because "it's Christmas". Come on guys, spark a bit of originality and change the tune. Some of you are being paid 100,000 pounds a year so stop being lazy!

"Merry Xmas Everybody" isn't the only culprit though. Others that have been suspected of ear murder include: "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney and "Last Christmas" by Wham!

Others genuinely love Christmas songs because it gets them in the mood for this time of giving and receiving. Even Ebenezer Scrooge himself would probably have a glimmer of joy in his soul from hearing "Mistletoe and Wine" (the Ebenezer Scrooge after he's seen the ghosts though). You can't really blame people for having their own personal preparations, we all have them. Some people drink alcohol before they go to a party. Barrack Obama probably does vocal warm ups before a speech and Lewis Hamilton probably loves a cheeky Red Bull before a race. Overall, it can be argued that Christmas song are a natural necessity before the big day.

Personally, I think Christmas songs are fine just as long as they're not overkilled (cough "Merry Xmas Everybody" cough). I genuinely love a bit of "Sleigh Ride" by The Ronettes and She and Him's "A Very She and Him Christmas" Christmas album is great fun. To sum it up: Christmas songs are generally an annoyance but to some they're not.  

TOP 10 TRACKS FOR OCTOBER 2013

10. Collar Full By Panic! at the Disco http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZAIEAG6Vgk
9. Blush by Wolf Alice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpnGp7N4tfU
8. Piece By Piece by Anna Calvi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfuhrk9DAwE
7. Looking At Her by Paul McCartney
6. You Wanna Know by Don Broco http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km0Byzc4UfM
5. Glue Me by Los Campesinos! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5D49y-wp_Q
4. Suddenly by Anna Calvi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exHwTli4LkQ
3. Early Days by Paul McCartney http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M94mKiHAId8
2. A Portrait Of The Trequartista As A Young Man by Los Campesinos! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYEIeRfLL2M
1. Avocado Baby by Los Campesinos! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrHmYvhPNAE

No Blues by Los Campesinos!

Album number 5: It's a tricky one. Your not quite veterans but your not new either. Do you stick to the sound that you used on your first few albums or do you move on? Well if your Los Campesinos then your answer would be to move on. "No Blues" is mature sounding and rather brilliant lyrically. The production is also fantastic and is a lot better compared to first album "Hold On Now, Youngster". Fourth album "Hello Sadness" was a step in the right direction for the band and "No Blues" basically builds upon said album.

What you've got here is an album that is teeming with life. It's almost as if "Hello Sadness" was the depressing death type album (which isn't a bad thing!) and "No Blues" is the resurrection. Take for example, "What Death Leaves Behind", each chord progression in the chorus feels like a flower opening up and blossoming into life. The backing vocals on this track are sublime and the drums really give it that extra punch. "For Flotsam" really makes you want to get up and do something amazing, its got a really motivational feel to it. This is probably thanks to the stream of conscious type lyrics, which clearly tell a personal story. The way that the texture starts and stops is also fascinating to listen to. A long build up in "Cemetery Gates" makes for a great listen as the repetitive synth riff builds up to a climactic verse and chorus. "Glue Me" is a slower "longing for love" type song. Evidence of this can be found in the choruses lyrics "I'll be gloomy till they glue me in the arms of she who loves me". Truly incredible lyrics that a lot of people can relate to.

Speaking of truly incredible lyrics, "Avacado Baby" is another example. "A heart of stone rind so tough its crazy, that's why they call me the avocado baby" will surely comfort listeners and make them feel like they can survive any heartbreak, big or small. It's almost as if "Avacado Baby" is a rousing anthem for people who are about to battle against heartbreak in a long, enduring war. The cheerleader backing vocals in the background spurring on as you prepare. "A Portrait Of The Trequartista As A Young Man" is another genius track lyrically. It's dark, moving and most of all the striking imagery really gets to you. "Inscribe our initials in the bark/ of every tree in every wood/ in ink red blood can you imagine?". Yes you can imagine that and its beautiful in a terrifying, psychotic kind of way. A special mention also needs to go to the closing lyrics in this song "We're a speck of dust in a bad god's eye/ he rubs us clean but love is blind/ a balloon artist kisses porcupine". Wow is all you can say to that really.

"Let is Spill" is a more cheery sounding track that almost sounds almost like 60's and 70's bubblegum pop (think "Stuck in the Middle With You"). However, the guitar effects and the quirky percussion make it sound more modern. "The Time Before The last Last Time" is an angelic interlude that is truly heavenly. "Selling Rope" is an epic 6 and a half minute close and "As Lucerne/The Low" is a fairly decent middle of the album track.

Uplifting, relatable, inspiring and lyrically genius are just a few phrases to sum up this album. There are also many more because "No Blues" is so rich musically. It's also interesting instrumentally and the production is very well done. Seriously, go and buy this album, you won't regret it and you'll have no blues at all.

OVERALL RATING: 9/10

BEST TRACKS: AVACADO BABY, A PORTRAIT OF THE TREQUARTISTA AS A YOUNG MAN, GLUE ME.

WORST TRACK: AS LUCERNE/THE LOW
 

An Article That I Went and Wrote For School

“Music performance BTEC, What’s that?” I hear you ask. This is a brand new course that was just introduced to Highcliffe 6^th form last year. Basically, students explore a variety of different music genres whether it be fifties rock n roll or modern day pop music, it’s all covered. All of the students with in the group then gather to create a band where all of this new knowledge is applied to create music.  If you are looking to have a career in the music industry as a performer then this course is perfect for you. 

The best thing about this course is that the Highcliffe school music department has given us several fantastic opportunities to perform in actual gigs. For example, we got to play at the Year 11’s prom last summer. For me personally, that was my favourite gig out of all the ones we've done because the setting was so glamorous  and the audience was huge, it really made me feel like a proper rock star at Wembley stadium! We suited up, got our soundcheck done and then played our hearts out to all of the students and teachers. After the gig, I had several people come up to me and say “Wow, great performance. Well done”. This was the most incredible feeling. It was as if a rush of ecstatic hormones had gone straight to my head.

Another opportunity we were given was the chance to open for MTV’s New Artist Winner Ebony Day (an ex Highcliffe student) in the school hall. This award has been won by many high profile artists so to be associated with her really is a once in a lifetime thing. It also makes for a great story to tell people as no else has had the same experience we’ve had.

Other experiences we've had include playing at the Summer Concert last summer and being session musicians for the BTEC acting and BTEC dance students. In the summer concert we covered three songs: I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor by Arctic Monkeys, Use Somebody by Kings of Leon and Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry. This is another positive thing about the Music Performance BTEC course: you get to play a variety of songs new and old. Then for the session musician day we slicked back our hair and put on our leather jackets (we didn't actually do this) because we were playing music from Grease. We learnt the songs instantly from sheet music and then the other students would sing and dance to our playing. Our instructor (who had performed in the West End) was wonderfully enthusiastic and this really spurred us on to play better.

I can safely say with the utmost sincerity that I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. Please, if you love performing music then take this course. If you don’t then you’ll majorly regret it and your life at 6^th form just won’t be the same.  

Hernon's Harmonies Halloween playlist

Its that time of years again everyone! It's late October and Halloween is fast approaching so grab your costumes and get ready for some ghoulish antics. Whilst you're at it, why not treat yourself to some scary tunes? This selection of songs certainly won't trick you in a nasty way, or maybe they will? Depends on your music taste really, but there are bound to be a few that'll make you jump. Mwhahaha! (please note: these songs are in no particular order).

1. Highway To Hell by AC/DC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKggnBh2Mdw
2. Dangerous Animals by Arctic Monkeys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHe3E366_Po
3. Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix) by Yeah Yeah Yeahs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3c4dPxN1qM
4. Don't Fear The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUO_5EALZoM
5. Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvkKX035484
6. Thriller by Michael Jackson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHsIcsjtdI
7. Under Your Spell by Desire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEAKJw8Cz1c
8. Pet Cemetery by The Ramones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3J0iwwsq-w
9. Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDWgsQhbaqU
10. Vanished by Crystal Castles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrAKCLxswBE
11. The Hell Song by Sum 41 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjKQKnCUYkE
12. Number Of The Beast by Iron Maiden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHe6FMs46o
13. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvmKlZGTTU4
14. Ghost Town by The Specials http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqZ8428GSrI
15. Madness by Muse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN607gpo_x0
16. Feed My Frankenstein by Alice Cooper http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWoIZGAETOE
17. Ghost Town by The Vaccines (this isn't a cover of The Specials) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avS2RKpapDk
18. A Forest by The Cure http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xik-y0xlpZ0
19. Doused by DIIV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnV-uhvOA5A
20. Miss You by Blink 182 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1tAYmMjLdY   

New by Paul McCartney

He's been there and done it all, name it and he's done it. In fact, it would probably be harder if you tried to think of the things that he hasn't done. At the age of 71, Paul McCartney has sold well over 100 million albums and has completely changed the face of music forever. He first started out in an obscure band in the sixties called The Beatles (you probably haven't heard of them). But then they split up and Paul McCartney decided to form Wings in the seventies. That ended and now he has been playing solo for many years. "New" is the latest offering from the legend himself.

Because Paul McCartney has been there and done it all, this means that he can pretty much do whatever the hell he wants. There is no "second album syndrome" or "mid career crisis" for him. "New", however, will sound surprisingly fresh (for some)
as the name suggests. It's almost as if Paul McCartney has been reborn into some sort of old man superhero. Usually when people get old, they just retire and wait to die. Not Paul McCartney though. Remarkably, he has managed to create something that will entertain listeners rather than bore them. "New" is essentially like an old man telling stories from his past, and these stories will sound incredibly exciting to younger generations.

Everywhere you go on this album, there are splatters of The Beatles seeping through. For example on title track "New" the keyboard sounds an awful lot like the one from "Piggies" on The Beatles "White Album" (but a bit faster though). Another example would be "Early Days" which absolutely screams out to the likes of "Blackbird", "Mother Nature's Son" and "Dear Prudence". There is even a touch of Wings here and there. Try "Everybody Out There" and you'll immediately think of "Mrs Vandebilt". You could go on for a while with the amount of Beatles and wings references. This, however, is a positive thing because it makes "New" a rewarding listen with plenty of replay value.

"Save Us" and "Alligator" are great openers, the first being a fast bluesy number and the second being the same but a bit slower. "On My Way To Work" is a folksy story telling song that will surely make listeners imaginations run wild. "Appreciate" sounds like it could soundtrack a film that involves a stealthy spy sneaking round. "Hosanna" is one of the slower songs on the album and "Looking At Her" sounds like it was written for Paul's new wife judging by the lyrics. "Turned Out" and "Struggle" are delightful piano ballads that are enjoyable.

However, this isn't really an album that will leave behind an amazing legacy like "Sgt Peppers" or "Abbey Road" did. The songs do their job fine though and people will enjoy listening to these tunes. Overall, "New" certainly isn't an old man that hasn't given up hope. Instead it is an old man doing what he has done all these years brilliantly without pushing the boundaries like he did in his past years. The influences from his boundary pushing days are still there though, but some people won't be able to tell. To sum it up: "New" will sound more fresh to casual listeners, but the hardcore listeners will only find it mildly fresh as they'll be able to nitpick out the details that have been done before. Still, this nitpicking can be enjoyable depending on your tastes.

OVERALL: 7/10

BEST SONGS: LOOKING AT HER, EARLY DAYS, ON MY WAY TO WORK.
WORST SONG: I CAN BET

You Wanna Know EP by Don Broco

Don Broco are a band that seem to have slowly risen in popularity these past couple of years. This is defiantly down to the success of their album "Priorities", because without it, they probably wouldn't have been able to accomplish achievements such as playing the main stage at Reading and Leeds festivals. Songs such as "Hold On" and "Priorities" seem to go down really well with crowds that love a chirpy pop punk song.

The band seem to have to been thrown into this recent scene of British pop punk bands along with acts such as You Me At Six and Lower Than Atlantis. This isn't hard to see why seeing as all three bands have a melodic, "let's go and mosh" type sound. "You Wanna Know EP" includes new song "You Wanna Know", a remix of said song, a cover of "You Know You Like It" and 2 acoustic versions of songs that were on "Priorities".

Choppy, tights riffs are the main course being served up on the opening tracking "You Wanna Know". This is pretty much shown from the beginning after a brief 12 second build up. It's like greyhounds anticipating a race and then suddenly, BAM they're off out the gates. The texture then drops for the verse where we are treated to a funky bass line and twiddly guitars. After this tasty starter, we then go back to that delicious main course riff. So we've had a main course, a starter and then a main course again. Umm how about we call that second main course a desert seeing as that's the traditional order of events. Anway, "You Wanna Know" is a funky stomper of a pop punk song that is sure to get those moshes grooving. Oooo yeah! Also you may be wondering "why the food references?" well, one of the lyrics is "You said you'd have your cake" so it seems appropriate. The Club Sex mix of this song is great too. Imagine "Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake but more chilled out and that's what you've got. This sleek seductive mix of the song is sure to get lustful hearts in the clubs twerking and ummm yeah, the rest you can guess.

"You Know You Like It" is pretty much the same as the original version expect there are electric guitars rather than electronic instruments. This isn't bad but it isn't exactly spectacular either. A fine and decent effort overall. The two acoustic versions of "Here's The Thing" and "Actors" are fine too and they are what you would expect from acoustic versions of songs. However, there is only one complaint and that is that the drums on "Actors" slightly drown out the acoustic guitar, but apart from that these acoustic tunes are nice soothing listens that will surely please big fans of the band.

"You Wanna Know EP" is an enjoyable listen and the title track is easily the highlight. The mix is great too and "You Know You Like It" is a decent cover but it plays it a little too safe. Also, the acoustic tunes are nice touches but they could've of been produced slightly better. Apart from a few niggles this is an interesting listen that goes far beyond the basic pop punk formula.

OVERALL: 7/10

BEST TRACKS: You Wanna Know, You Wanna Know (Club Sex Mix)
WORST TRACK: Actors (acoustic)
   

   

Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die by Panic! at the Disco

Grab your black clothes, piercings, hair dye, then grab a time machine and go back several years to the mid noughties. This was a time when emo bands such as My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy ruled the earth like the dinosaurs did billions of years ago. One of these so called emo bands was Panic! at the Disco. Although the band may not have enjoyed quite the same amount of commercial success as their counterparts, they are still well loved by many and their fanbase is a decently sized one.

Essentially, "Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die" is an emo rock record mixed with a more modern, more commercial sound. So expect plenty of "Woah oh oh oh" choruses blended with synthesizers and enhanced vocals. The album defiantly has that party type feel to it but most of it sounds so half baked. For example, many of the songs on the album are mid tempo synth songs that never really pick up or go anywhere, this makes the album a bit of a chore to listen to at times.

"This Is Gospel" is a mixed opener. The enhanced vocal track that has been added in the verses sounds unnecessary and cringey. However the chorus is your typical, fun emo rock song with power chords and "oh oh oh" sing alongs galore. Overall, the chorus equals a fairground ride and the verses equals one of those parties that doesn't have any alcohol. "Miss Jackson" is a huge sounding, soulful track but its basically just a load of repetitive vocal melodies over the top of each other. The song becomes a bit boring after the fifth listen or so. Furthermore, Panic at the Disco could've used female singer Lolo a bit more on this track rather than just using her for one part. "Miss Jackson" could've really been something special if they used Lolo for say, the verse parts possibly.

Now, going back to what was said earlier: basically the majority of songs on this album are just mid tempo emo rock songs that have synthesizers slapped on them. Sure you can do this, its absolutely fine. There is no rule book in music that tells you its illegal to try certain things out. However if your going to go for this type of sound then at least have some decent vocal hooks. There are too many songs on "Too Weird To Live, Too rare To Die" that have dull, half assed and repetitive vocal hooks. For example, "Nicotine's" chorus sounds so lazy, its just "your worse than nicotine" over and over again for about 16 bars. Panic! at the disco could've of come up with some different lyrics or something. "Girls/Girls/Boys", "Casual Affair" and "Far Too Young To Die" all fall under the exact same trap. "Vegas Lights" sounds like its just gagging to be on a FIFA video game and that's not a good thing seeing as most of the tracks on FIFA are just there to be used as some background music to a menu.

There are moments on the album when there is a bit more variety, but there isn't much of it. For example, "Collar Full" is a slightly more fast tempo track with some nice synthesizer effects on it. One of the better tracks on the album. "Girl That You Love" has some of the sort of instrumentation that could probably fit on the soundtrack to the film "Drive". Its very 1980's noir and that's something that sounds very cool and chic. The album's closer "The End Of All Things" is a piano ballad and that's fine. However those god damn enhanced vocals make it sound just wrong. Imagine Adele's "Someone Like You" with auto tune effects on it. It just wouldn't sound right would it?

"Too Weird To Love, Too Rare To Die" really fails at trying to be a fun party record. In fact, it just makes you want to sit down on your chair and read a book instead. Sure there are some decent moments but do you really expect to pay money for an album that is 20% cor and 80% snore? Well no, unless your stupid. Avoid unless you are planning to have the world's most lifeless party and need a soundtrack for it.

OVERALL RATING: 3/10

BEST SONGS: COLLAR FULL, GIRL THAT YOU LOVE.
WORST SONGS: NICOTINE, VEGAS LIGHTS, CASUAL AFFAIR.



 

Blush EP by Wolf Alice

Wolf Alice are a 4 piece alternative rock band from London and they have been called a favourite new band by many including NME magazine. The band are still fairly unknown despite having released 3 singles in the past few years. "Blush" is the band's first EP and it contains 4 brand new tracks. So, let's see why NME magazine have been getting all excited then.

The EP starts off with the title track (the track is called Blush to those of you that don't know what a title track is) and the song varies greatly in texture. First, it starts off incredibly minimalistic, with just a single echoing electric guitar and a single female vocal. But then it builds up to this shoegaze-y type climax with fuzzy electric guitars and soft vocals. It's very much like a few of the songs on The Smashing Pumpkins first album "Gish". "She" has more of a punk groove in the first half of the song because of its repetitive drum and electric guitar sections. It then gets soft before finally going back into the punk groove again. "She" is a track full of variety and not just because of its song structure, the vocals also change from being soft to slightly more aggressive. This makes it sound a bit messy because of its constant changes. "Nosedive" is a 2 and a half minute bubblegum indie pop song that's enjoyable enough. Finally we get "90 Mile Beach" which is a delicate, dreamy song that has some good guitar work and some excellent backing vocals.

Overall the "Blush" is decent but it's not particularly thrilling or spectacular. If your looking for something that you can enjoy for a short amount of time then "Blush" is perfect. However this EP is basically just a variety of 90's influences mashed into four songs.

OVERALL RATING: 5/10

BEST TRACK: BLUSH  
WORST TRACK: SHE

One Breath by Anna Calvi

Twickenham based singer songwriter Anna Calvi enjoyed a lot of success with her debut album back in 2011. The album even managed to gain a Mercury Prize nomination that year which is pretty outstanding seeing as only a handful of artists get Mercury Prize nominations. So how does Anna Calvi’s second album shape up? Does it produce the same magic that the first album did? Or does it suffer from the dreaded second album syndrome?

Anna Calvi has a seductive, silky like quality to her voice that sometimes erupts into these high powerful notes. Imagine a 50’s pin up girl singing  for the seductive, silky part and then imagine a female Thom Yorke when he sings that really high, long note in “Creep” for the powerful part. If you said that Anna Calvi had a lot of contrast in her singing style then you could be correct. Her voice is a lot like the album in a contrasting type of way because a lot of the songs on it start off with barely anything and then they become really rich with textures and sounds.

“Suddenly” kicks things off with reverb guitars, vibrato vocals and one hell of a vocal hook. Florence Welch would surely be jealous of the amount of vibrato vocals going on in the “ahh” vocal hook in the chorus. Seriously, Florence Welch is well known for her vibrato voice but Anna Calvi takes it to another level on this track. “Eliza” starts off quietly in the verses but then powerfully erupts for the chorus a la “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.  “Piece by Piece” is a flirtatious yet nostalgic sounding song that blends gorgeous plucked notes with zany guitar work. “Cry” is a slightly uncomfortable listen because its texture picks up so randomly without any warning; it really makes you jump out of your skin.

There are also a few slower tracks on the album that contain absolutely lavish string sections that the likes of Mozart and Beethoven would probably enjoy if they were around in the 21^st century. These songs include “Sing to me” and “One Breath”, in fact the string sections towards the end of these songs are actually very reminiscent of the ones in the Radiohead track “How To Disappear Completely” from their “Kid A” album. The build up to the string sections are superb also. “Carry me over” contains a string section too but it varies from sounding scary to absolutely heavenly. Like “Cry”, “Carry Me Over” is slightly uncomfortable to listen to at times but it has its genius moments too in its 5 and a half minute duration.

Other tracks include “Tristan” which contains bouncy acoustic guitars and vocal sing along hooks galore. “Love Of My Life” is “Goo” era Sonic Youth with its noise guitar riffs and Kim Gordon-esque vocals. “Bleed Into Me” and “The Bridge” are ghostly sounding songs that close the album very well. They are a nice change from the rest of the songs on the album.

“One Breath” is an album that certainly takes more than one listen to appreciate it. This is because it often builds up in texture a lot and sometimes this texture can be unpredictable and unsettling. Once you are on your fourth or fifth listen though you will know when the rich, instrumental textures appear and this makes for a rewarding listen because you persevered. Overall, yes this album does produce its magic moments and no it doesn't suffer from the dreaded second album syndrome.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

BEST TRACKS: Suddenly, Piece By Piece, One Breath.
WORST TRACK: Cry. 

Why the use of “Baby Blue” by Badfinger in the Breaking Bad finale was genius and why Breaking Bad is genius in general.

Walter White. Jesse Pinkman. Saul Goodman. These are names that will surely go down as some of the most memorable characters in TV history. If you have seen Breaking Bad then you will know how incredible it is. The show has got it all: top notch acting, a well written script and characters that constantly get more intriguing thanks to their development. If you haven’t seen it then what are you doing!? Get yourself a Netflix subscription, sit down and start “binge watching” all 62 episodes immediately. In a nutshell, the plot for the show is that a chemistry teacher gets cancer so therefore he decides to make and sell crystal meth so that his family is financially stable for the future.

The show has managed to gain HUGE critical acclaim and yes, the big capital letters for huge are necessary and here’s why. Firstly, breaking bad has managed to get a 9.5 out of

10.0 on IMBD based on 122 reviews from professional critics and 336,000 ratings from the public. If you think about it, pretty much every single person has given the show a perfect review on IMBD except for the odd person. Secondly, the show has received 151 nominations and won 50 awards from various high profile American awards ceremonies such as the Emmy Awards and The Golden Globe Awards. All of those masses of awards speak for themselves. Thirdly, Breaking Bad has recently received an award from the Guinness Book of World Records entitled the “Highest rated TV series of all time”. Those people at Guinness World Records are really precise so to earn that title is pretty damn impressive.

WARNING: SPOILERS FROM HERE ON IN.

If you are a fan of Breaking Bad then you will know that the show ended last week. You will also know that the final scene was Walter White going back to Todd’s crystal meth lab, admiring all of the equipment and then eventually dying from a bullet wound. Whilst all of this was happening Badfinger’s 1972 single “Baby Blue” was playing in the background. “Baby Blue” couldn't have been more perfect for this scene, it’s like the song’s 41 year old lifetime had been leading up this moment. Lyrically the song fits the plot and the character of Walter White like a jigsaw. “Baby Blue” obviously refers to Walter White’s own addictive trademark brand of blue crystal meth. Another example is the lyric “I had one chance and that was to run” which refers to Walt’s disappearance in the previous episode. Furthermore there is a lyric that refers to the Bullet hitting Walt “A deep burning pain in my side, I feel the bullet go deep in my chest”. There are literally loads of references to the series and Walter White in the lyrics. Look them up and find some more if you are feeling analytical. Not only did the lyrics match but the instruments sounded badass too. The Pete Townshend windmill style guitar chords and the stomping drums sound epic. Not only did the song sound epic, but it also saw a 2981% increase in sales. Wow.  

Breaking Bad has given us so many memorable moments that we will never forget. Some personal favourites include: Walt leaving Jesse’s girlfriend Jane to die, Gus’s explosive death and Jesse’s constant use of the word “bitch”. Hopefully the show will stay in my mind long enough so that I can tell my grand kids about it. Yes, Breaking Bad really is that good. Trust me.    

TOP 10 TRACKS FOR SEPTEMBER 2013

1. Gun- Chvrches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktoaj1IpTbw
2. Forever- Haim http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEwM6ERq0gc
3. Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?- Arctic monkeys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2spbZbOPu_w
4. The Mother We Share- Chvrches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mTRvJ9fugM
5. Mad Sounds- Arctic Monkeys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uimWYQcxjhk
6. If I Could Change Your Mind- Haim (a link couldn't be found for this track)
7. Arabella- Arctic Monkeys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoKd98AslF4
8. Go Slow- Haim https://soundcloud.com/haimtime/go-slow
9. Introspection- MGMT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afg1c83ydEg
10. Night Sky- Chvrches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcc1EMEcM5E

(Please note: there will be a lot more artists for the October top 10 as I only started album reviews half way through September)

Days Are Gone By Haim

Haim are an all girl three piece indie pop band from Los Angeles and they have enjoyed a lot of success these past few years. They first burst on to the scene and caught many people’s attention when they released “Forever” as a single in mid 2012. The song was well received and many people were keen to listen to their debut album, but before that Haim played at many festivals across the summer of 2013 including Glastonbury. There was TV coverage of this Glastonbury set and more and more people started hearing about them. A year after “Forever” was released as a single, Haim have released their debut album “Days Are Gone”.

If you have never listened to Haim before then think of “Rumours” era Fleetwood Mac combined with 80’s bubblegum pop music and Michael Jackson style vocals sung by a women as well. Yes, this is a rather brilliant combination and it is sure to appeal to a lot of people. Haim could quite easily reach the dizzying heights of their indie pop peers Two Door Cinema Club if they manage to get their music out there to the masses.

The album kicks off with the track “falling” and this is a reverberated gem of a pop song. There is clear evidence of that Micheal Jackson style delivery combined with reverbed instruments, this then all cuts out and we are treated to a bombardment of the lyric “Falling” as it constantly pans from left ear to right ear. Lyric simplicity at its best. We are then given “Forever” which contains a mid tempo funky bass and drum section that then builds up to a powerful, energetic guitar chord riff. And oh yes, let’s not forget the terrific vocals that are similar to the previous track. “The Wire” sounds like a Queen track: the guitar riffs are very Brian May-esque and Freddie Mercury would surely be proud of the vocal melody and chord changes. Overall we’ve pretty much got a perfect opening triple whammy here.

The 80’s influences are pretty clear through out the rest of the rest of the album. “If I Could Change Your Mind” has the verse of a Fleetwood Mac song and the chorus of a Cyndi Lauper song. It’s a lot of fun to listen to. “Honey And I” could probably fit onto Simon Paul’s “Graceland” album and “Day’s are gone” is more of a chilled out Synthpop song. We are then given the black sheep of the album which is “My Song 5”. The track is a moody sounding blues song that contains some kick ass guitar riffs and weird low pitched bass effects. This is what makes “Days are gone” (and Haim in general) brilliant though: because they can take any influence and turn it into this fun indie pop song.

As the album progresses towards the end, the songs get a lot slower and more chilled out. “Go Slow” and “Running If You Call My Name” could quite easily soundtrack the slow dance at an American prom in a John Hughes film (check him out if you’ve never heard of him). They are gorgeous, airy pop songs that just want to make you sway from side to side. “Let Me Go” is a slow, angry stomper of a song that contains some good guitar work. It really stands out from the rest of the songs that are on the final quarter of the album.  

“Days Are Gone” is a really top notch, fun album. There are a lot of 80’s influences combined with a modern indie pop sound. Haim have produced a really fantastic debut album and hopefully they can deliver more of the same in the future.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10
BEST TRACKS: FOREVER, IF I COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND, GO SLOW.

WORST TRACK: DON’T SAVE ME.

            

MGMT by MGMT

Firstly I just want to start off by saying that I’ve always admired MGMT and their musical directions. “Oracular Spectacular” first burst on to the scene in 2007 and it was a huge success thanks to the singles “Time To Pretend” and “Kids”. MGMT then followed up with 2010’s “Congratulations” and this album got rather mixed reviews from the critics. The reason it was mainly criticized was because it didn't contain any radio friendly songs such as “Kids” and “Time To Pretend”. “Congratulations” was bold, ambitious and it wasn’t afraid to push the boundaries of music. The album even contained a 12 minute prog rock song and an instrumental too. But this is why I really admire MGMT: they didn't want to make another radio friendly album; they wanted to explore different kind’s music and experiment with their sound. They didn't care if the album didn't sell, they just wanted to do their own thing and you've got to admire a band as ballsy as that.

The year is now 2013 and we've got MGMT’s self titled third album (let’s just call it “MGMT 3”). “MGMT 3” is basically the same sort of concept as “Congratulations” so if you only liked “Oracular spectacular” then don’t bother reading this review or listening to the album. The album is essentially a very psychedelic sounding album like “Congratulations” but it’s far more experimental in terms of its tonality and production. There are loads of noisy synthesizers and hazy sounding effects just going on everywhere. Think of a more modern, more synthier version of “Magical Mystery Tour” by The Beatles and you’re pretty much there. The production and instruments sound bizarre though and the song writing gets a little lost because there is so much going on in the background.

The first half of the album is pretty good but then it just gets pretty messy except for a few exceptions. The first single “Your Life Is A Lie” really grows on you, when you first listen to it you think “Is this the best thing MGMT can come with: a measly two minute noise pop song?” however the melody is actually really infectious and you will find yourself humming along to those 5 or 6 notes. The album’s opener “Alien Days” is also a rather fascinating track. It starts off with a random little boy harmonizing with lead singer Andrew VanWyngarden and this creates a cool eerie sounding psychedelic pop song. “Cool Song no 2” is a driving acoustic piano song with deep pitched sounding bongos. The track then builds up with many strange synths appearing in the background. It’s one of the more stripped back songs on the album. “Mystery Disease” has a really catchy beat, crazy synths and blurry sounding vocals. “Introspection” is a brilliant cover of a 60’s classic and it’s the least synthy song on the album. All of these songs described are great because they actually contain a nice clear melody hook somewhere.

However the second half of the album just makes you get annoyed because there is so much going in terms of instruments. You can barely hear the vocals because there are so many noisy synthesizers going on. “A Good Sadness” is a good example of this and so is “An Orphan of Fortune”. There should actually be a 100 pound reward to whoever can make out the lyrics in these songs because it’s pretty much impossible to make them out clearly. “I Love You Too, Death” is also another good example of this; however it manages to redeem itself with some interesting sounding piped instruments. “Plenty of Girls in the Sea” sounds like a Beach Boys inspired psychedelic pop song but it just sounds dull. The main hook on it is nowhere near catchy enough to match the Beach Boys inspired sound they were going for. “Astro- Mancy” is really the only good song on the second half of the album. Its how this album should sound in terms of production: synthesizers that are more light sounding with less noise, whilst also keeping the hazy sounding effects. Also the vocals aren't entirely drowned out by the instrumentation.

This album really could've been something special if the production was a little better and the song writing was more polished in places. “Congratulations” was brilliant because it was experimental and it was also accessible too. “MGMT 3” is a difficult listen and it’s not one that I would recommend unfortunately. Go back to the production sound you had on “Congratulations” MGMT and get rid of the pretentious noisy rubbish. Overall “MGMT 3” is a lost cause.

        

OVERALL: 5/10

BEST TRACKS: Introspection, Astro-Mancy, Cool Song no 2.  

WORST TRACKS: Plently of Girls in the Sea, A Good Sadness, An Orphan of Fortune.

The Bones of What You Believe by Chvrches

Chvrches (yes that’s churches spelt with a “v” rather than a “u”) are a synth pop trio from Glasgow, Scotland and a lot of people have tipped this act to be huge in the future. One of their accolades includes coming fifth in BBC’s “sound of 2013 list for the most promising music talent”. So how does their debut album “The Bones of What You Believe” sound? Does Chvrches music live up to the critic’s hype? All of these questions will be answered right here in this very blog. So let’s go!

A lot of the songs on this album are what you would expect synth pop to sound like: lots of synthesizers, catchy vocal hooks and simple melodies that you can sing along to as well. “The Bones of What You Believe” defiantly ticks all of these boxes and also offers a lot more too. Firstly, the album is fantastically produced and whoever did the work on all of those knobs and buttons on the soundboard deserves a medal or something. The synthesizers sound massive, the vocal samples pan from left ear to right ear perfectly and the bass and drums make the songs sound way more danceable. Secondly, lead singer Lauren Mayberry’s voice is amazing. It’s unique and truly sounds like a breath of fresh air. Plus the obvious Scottish accent is really interesting to listen to as well.

Lead singles “The Mother We Share”, “Recover” and “Gun” do everything electro pop singles should do yet all of them offer something different to each other. “Gun’s” song structure builds up brilliantly, each section of the song sounds catchier than the last. The pre chorus could even be a catchy chorus for another song it’s that good, and if you thought the pre chorus was good, oh baby wait until you hear the main chorus. The synth chord stabs blend so well with Lauren Mayberry’s vocals that it’s an absolute treat on the ears. “The Mother We Share” sounds so anthemic in terms of its instrumentation. The steady bass line and synth chords from the verse suddenly turn into this really big chorus filled to the brim with synthesizers. The vocal melody is also catchy enough to match the instrumentation. “The Mother We Share” would probably sound absolutely incredible live if everyone sung along to it. “Recover” sounds slightly sadder than the other lead singles but it’s not depressing and slow. Weirdly it still sounds like something you could dance to even though the lyrics are clearly about needing comfort in bad times. Perhaps Chvrches were going for an optimistic kind of tone. 

There seems to be two kinds of songs on this album: slightly slower, more quieter songs that build up to a huge climax towards the end and those that follow a more traditional song structure. Examples of the songs that build up would be “Tether”, “Under the Tide” and the album closer “You Caught the Light”. These songs spend ages building up to climaxes but they are rather underwhelming when you get there. It takes about 2 and half minutes, and by the time you get to that point you end up becoming quite bored of the song. “Tether” is the only one that builds up decently but it’s still just an ok track, nothing truly spectacular but it’s enjoyable enough.

However, the songs that follow a more traditional structure are brilliant. “Night Sky” is a pulsating beast of a song that will surely get people dancing at parties. “Lungs” has the sort of catchy melody that commercial girl bands would die for, but it has a unique instrumental tonality that stops it from becoming too corny. “Lies” kind of has an Egyptian type vibe and if the slaves that built the pyramids were listening to this song whilst they were working, then they would've got it done twice as quick because of the songs energy. “We sink” is a good, catchy synth pop tune that could be a potential future single. Also “By the Throat” has a lovely airy chorus that sounds absolutely delightful, its quite a contrast to the name of the song title. 

Apart from a few underwhelming moments, “The Bones of What You Believe” does everything a synth pop album should do and more. It has its own distinct modern take on a genre that was quite popular in the 80’s. So in answer to the questions from earlier: “The Bones of What You believe” sounds great and Chvrches do indeed live up to the critic’s hype. Top album.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10

BEST TRACKS: Gun, The Mother We Share, Night Sky.
WORST TRACK: Under The Tide.   

AM by Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys certainly have evolved a lot these past seven years or so. They've gone from awkward teenagers to these indie rock gods that could fill up a stadium or seven. This latest album entitled “AM” sees Arctic Monkeys going back to Rancho De La Luna in the Californian desert, where they recorded their third album “Humbug”. The fact that the album has been recorded in the desert seems to have had an effect on the music. A lot of the songs on “AM” have a lot more of a bluesy, more American feel to them. There is even some hip hop and rap influences at times.  However some of the songs also have British influences so overall you've got a very diverse album here.

The first third of the album kicks off superbly. “Do I Wanna Know?” is a great track that revolves heavily around a bluesy guitar riff and stomping drums. It’s the sort of song that you would listen to whilst riding around on your Harley Davidson on route 66. We then get “R U Mine?” which again revolves around a guitar riff, but this guitar riff sounds a lot more like Black Sabbath rather than something bluesy. The song has a cool swagger about it and it’s not surprising that it was the first single to be released from the album. The duo of “One for the Road” and “Arabella” are pretty similar to each other. They both have hip hop style drum beats and front man Alex Turner sings about the general rock and roll lifestyle. You know: girls, drugs, alcohol and all that. Another thing that these two songs have in common is that they are two of the most interesting tracks on the album lyrically and vocally. The line “a helter skelter 'round her little finger and I ride it endlessly” from “Arabella” creates some fantastic imagery for the listener. Alex Turner spits out these lyrics in his distinct northern singing style that we are all familiar with. Drummer Matt Helders also provides some falsetto backing vocals to give the songs more of an edge. Overall these two songs pretty much sum up the vibe of this album.

However there are some moments on this album where Arctic Monkeys try and do something a little different and it falls completely flat. For example “I Want It All” is clearly a homage to British glam rock bands such as T Rex and it just doesn't work. Alex Turner’s rising falsetto vocals just sound awkward and slightly off. The repetitive guitar riff is also quite corny as it sounds like Arctic Monkeys have tried to create this air guitar riff that drunken uncles will dance along to at weddings. It just sounds wrong. “No 1 Party Anthem” is another homage to British artists from the past and this time it’s John Lennon who’s the influence here. The song is a tongue in cheek piano ballad but unfortunately it doesn't really go anywhere. There isn't really a memorable hook on this track, which is a shame as it could have been one of the most interesting tracks on the album. It’s a lot like another track on the album entitled “fireside”, which is quite a clever track rhythmically, however, it doesn't really produce any exciting melodies that blow your mind.

Other highlights on the album include “Mad Sounds” which is a track that wouldn't sound out of place on The Beatles “White Album”. It’s just got beatle-esque dripping from every pore and the chord changes sound really sweet on the ear. Then to top it all off you get a really infectious “Ooo la la la” backing vocal towards the end of the track which is just the icing on the cake. “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High” is a dark, moody hip hop influenced track. It’s the sort of thing that would soundtrack the streets of Los Angeles at night when all the drug gangs come out. However Arctic Monkeys still manage to stick to their well known guitar sound at the same time and this is probably what makes it the strongest out of the three singles that have been released so far (the other two are “R U Mine?” and “Do I Wanna Know?” in case you didn’t know). “Knee socks” is quite a funky track that weirdly, has a Destiny’s Child type bridge section and it sounds absolutely brilliant. It’s one of the most pleasant surprises on the album. “I Wanna Be Yours” is a down beat song that closes the album well.

Overall this album is a British indie rock band taking a lot of influences from the past 50 years of American music and making it into something genuinely fresh and interesting. However it is a little over ambitious, maybe slightly cocky at times and this where the album has its faults. But still, this is a fantastic record that deserves to be listened to if you want something that constantly keeps you on your toes with all the changing styles. Has this album lived up to the huge hype that has surrounded it? Well no, but that’s OK because Alex Turner says that you “Shouldn't believe the hype” anyway.   

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

BEST SONGS: Arabella, Mad Sounds, Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High.
WORST SONG: I want it all.